Senior External Affairs Officer

World Bank Group - WBG

Staff Closes 08 Apr 2026 5 days left

Overview

Plays a central execution role in shaping and delivering external communications for World Bank Group senior leadership, with a primary focus on senior leadership travel, high-level engagements, major institutional moments, and driving expansion into new media.


Key Responsibilities
  • Lead planning and delivery of external communications for the World Bank Group President’s travel, high-level meetings, speeches, and major institutional moments.
  • Translate leadership objectives into clear communications plans, deliverables, and timelines.
  • Coordinate messaging, briefing materials, and content across media, digital, and stakeholder channels.
  • Ensure communications execution is tightly aligned with the President’s schedule, priorities, and strategic objectives.
  • Lead and contribute to integrated communications plans for tentpole moments, campaigns, and high-profile initiatives involving senior leadership.
  • Work closely with content, media, social, and regional teams to ensure consistent, timely, and audience-appropriate delivery.
  • Oversee execution against plans, proactively managing risks, dependencies, and last-minute changes.
  • Drive the expansion of the World Bank Group’s new media ecosystem, identifying and incubating high-impact opportunities across owned and earned channels.
  • Forge and scale strategic relationships with digital publishers, platform innovators, podcast networks, and influential creators.
  • Design and oversee platform-specific narrative strategies and growth-oriented content models.
  • Engage with regional leadership and regional communications colleagues to ensure coherence of narrative and successful operational execution.
  • Serve as a focal point across the WBG for information flow related to leadership engagements and special projects.
  • Coordinate closely with the president’s office and MD communications leads to support communications for other senior leader travel and events.
  • Travel as needed to support presidential visits, serving as the media advance lead and coordinating on‑the‑ground press logistics.
  • Support delivery of communications initiatives assigned by the External Communications Manager and the Director of Communications and Marketing.
  • Step in as a trusted execution partner on time-sensitive or high-visibility projects.
  • Contribute to continuous improvement of processes, templates, and playbooks.
Required Experience
  • Minimum of 8-10 years of progressively responsible experience in external communications, public affairs, media operations, or strategic communications, preferably in a global, multilateral, government, or complex institutional environment.
  • Proven track record of communications work, including strategic media management, combining traditional and digital strategies.
  • Contacts, experience and skill in managing high-level communications with the media.
  • Relationships and experience in working with NGOs, government officials, international institutions, business groups, and other audiences critical to the Bank's work.
  • Demonstrated experience leading communications planning and execution for senior leaders, including high-level travel, international engagements, major speeches, and institutional events.
  • Proven track record managing complex, fast-moving workflows involving senior principals, multiple stakeholders, and tight deadlines.
  • Experience working in or alongside large, matrixed organizations, with the ability to navigate cross-functional and cross-regional coordination.
  • Strong experience translating leadership priorities into actionable communications plans, deliverables, and timelines.
Qualifications

• Master’s degree in communications, journalism, public affairs, international relations, political science, or a related field; or a Bachelor’s degree with additional years of relevant professional experience.

Other Details
Languages Required
English
Languages Preferred
Not specified
Contract Duration
2 years 0 months
Work Modality
Not specified
Remuneration
Not specified
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